Assessment Criteria

Assessment at Macquarie University is standards-based, as outlined in the Assessment Policy. This means that your work will be assessed against clear criteria, and these criteria will be made available when the assessment tasks are released to you on iLearn. 

Submission of Assessments

All assignments must be submitted online through Turnitin unless otherwise indicated. Links for the submission of each assignment will be available on iLearn.​ 

Marking of Assessments

Assignments will be marked through Turnitin with grades and feedback provided through GradeMark. Pleas do not submit your assignments via email or in hard copy.

We aim to return your assignments with feedback within two to three weeks of the date that you submit your assignment, and before your next assignment is due. We appreciate your patience and will advise you through iLearn when your marked assignments and feedback are available for viewing.

Penalties for Late Assessments

The penalty for late submission of assessments in this unit is ten percent (10 %) of the assessment value per day, calculated from the due time and date. This means that if the assignment is worth a total of 30 marks (or 30 % of the unit) you will lose 3 marks for each day late. This is a hefty penalty designed to make you aware of the importance of organising yourself around assessment due dates. The penalty will be applied over weekdays and weekends unless you have been granted an extension prior to the due date.

Extensions for Assessments

To obtain an extension for an assessment task, you will need to follow the formal process as outlined in the Special Consideration Policy, and you must provide appropriate supporting documentation (e.g. medical certificate - see advice for Special Consideration requests). The final decision regarding the granting of an extension and/or a late penalty lies with the unit convenor. Permission for extension must be sought well before the due date unless this is absolutely impossible. Let us know of problems in advance or as soon as possible, not after the event: we are likely to be much more sympathetic and flexible in our requirements if you follow this advice.

Class schedule

The class timetable can be found through the Timetable portal. This year classes have been scheduled for Wednesday evenings in 3 Innovation, Room G240, from 6-9 pm, plus a weekend field trip on 21-22 March. A detailed schedule with lecture and practical topics, assessment due dates, etc. will be made available to all enrolled students through iLearn.

Learning activities

The unit is comprised of 11 weeks of classes, plus the field trip to the Blue Mountains. The format of the classes varies and includes lectures, writing skills workshops, lab skills workshops (location to be advised) and student presentations. As a result, it is essential that students attend each class and the field trip. This unit is not able to be offered externally. 

In addition to the scheduled classes, students are also required to spend time doing their own independent reading and research, with most of this time going towards completing the assessments. As a guide, students should aim to spend approximately 100 hours of their own time on the unit over the semester, in addition to the scheduled classes and field trip.

Field trip

The unit includes a weekend field trip to Katoomba in the Blue Mountains, which is home to the famous Three Sisters, and provides easy access to the Blue Mountains World Heritage area. Katoomba is the largest centre in the Blue Mountains, with a population of ~8000 people. Each year, the region receives over 4 million visitors with most of these stopping at Katoomba. As a result, the area is an ideal place to learn about the natural environment and environmental management. Students will visit different sites to observe environmental management issues and collect water quality samples for subsequent analysis in the lab.

Note: The cost of the field trip is not covered by the unit fees. Students will need to pay for transport to/from and around Katoomba either by driving or by catching the train. They will also need to purchase a ticket for Scenic World (approx $40) which allows easy access in and out of the valley. Students have the option of staying in Katoomba on the Friday and Saturday night or travelling up/back each day. There are several options for accommodation in Katoomba - the cheapest and best option is to stay at the Katoomba YHA  which also has some great package deals for less than $100: https://www.yha.com.au/hostels/nsw/blue-mountains/katoomba/specials/  Logistics will be discussed during the first week of class.

Requirements to Complete this Unit Satisfactorily

Students must submit all assignments and gain a final mark of at least 50% to complete this unit satisfactorily.

Students are required to attend at least 80% of the scheduled classes, including the field trip and presentations in Week 12 and 13. Permission to be excused will only be granted in exceptional circumstances such as unavoidable clashes with other units. Attendance may be taken into account when assigning final grades for the unit where marks are on the border between one grade and the next.

Technologies Used and Required

Students should bring a computer to class each week. We will use basic programs such as Word and Excel. Students will also need to have access to a computer to use the university systems (e.g. iLearn, library) and complete the assessment tasks. Submissions of the assessment tasks will be arranged through iLearn using Turnitin. Academic search engines (ISI Web of Knowledge and Scopus) and submission of the assessment tasks will be discussed during the first night of the class.

Field and Lab Work, Health and Safety

To minimise the risk of incidents, students must wear/bring appropriate clothing and bring adequate water and food for each day on the field trip, and wear closed shoes when working in the lab. 

Background Reading

There is no single text for this course. Background reading can be found in the following:

O'Riordan, T (1999) Environmental Science for Environmental Management, Taylor and Francis Ltd

Aplin, G (2002), Australians and their Environment: An Introduction to Environmental Studies, Oxford University Press

Arms K (1994). Environmental Science, Saunders College Publishing, Fort Worth, 2nd edition.

Beckmann R (1994). Environmental Science, Australian Academy of Science, Canberra.

Enger ED and Smith BF (2006). Environmental Science: a study of interrelationships, McGraw Hill Publish.

Huxham M and Sumner D (2000). Science and Environmental Decision Making, Pearson Education.

Jacobson M.C. (2000). Earth System Science: From Biogeochemical Cycles to Global Change. Academic Press, London. QH344.E17/2000 

Munasinghe M and Swart R (2005). Primer on Climate Change and Sustainable Development, Cambridge University Press.